Apparatus for surfacing glass and the like



Sept. '1' 1926.

" A. E. EVANS APPARATUS FOR SURFACING GLASS AND THE LIKE Filed May 5. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept- A. E. EVANS APPARATUS FOR SURFACING GLASS AND THE LIKE Filed May 5. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a QW 3w NM 6% kw aw Mm ..T.@ n k APPARATUS FOR SURFACING GLASS AND THE LIKE Filed May 5. 192-3 4 Sheets-S1160? 4 ran-1 F'IGJZ L M/l/E/VTOR $22M 6. WW

Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E.'EVANS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPAMTUS FOB SURFACING- GLASS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed May 3,

The invention relates to apparatus for surfacing (grinding. or polishing) sheets of material such as glass, marble and'the like, the apparatus having it greatest utility in connection with the grinding and polishing of plate glass in a straight away operation in which glass on trucks or carriers is passed beneath a series of grinding and polishing machines. The invention has for its primary objects; 1) the provision of an improved arrangement, whereby the' runners are readily accessible and removable together with their driving motors; (2) the provision of improved means for driving and counterbalancing the runners; (3) and the provision of means whereby a series of runners may be simultaneously raised from the glass being surfaced or brought back into contact therewith. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line Ill-TV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 4. And Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modification in side and end elevation, now shown, described, and claimed in my divisional application, Serial No. 742,185.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the invention as applied to eight machines, which machines are preferably arran ed' in two series, each of which may include a large number of machines so that the grinding and polishing of the sheets of glass may be accomplished by carrying the sheets longitudinally beneath one set of grinders and polishers, after which it is reversed on the grinding tables to bring the-unsurfaced sides of the sheet upward, and then passed beneath the other set of grinders and polishers. The two sets of machines are carried by the central framework extending longitudinally of the two sets of machines and made up of the uprights 1, which may constitute apart of the superstructure of the building in which the apparatus is located, the transverse members 2 and 3 and the longitudinal tie members 4, 5, 6 and 7. The machines are carried by the portions of the transverse members 2 and 3 which extend out laterally past the vertical members 1, which support 1S augmented by suitable bracing members 1923. Serial No. 636,827.

8. This gives a very secure well balanced support for the two sets of machines and. involves the important advantage of leaving the machine's free from obstruction on their outer sides so that the self-contained and surfacing units as hereinafter described maybe removed bodily in a lateral direction without interference from structural parts, this being accomplished by means of suitable cranes, not shown and which may be of any desired type. The surfacin which may be used either for grin ing or polishing, depending upon the character of the runners, are similar in construction so that a description of one will be sufficient for all. The runners as illustrated are rinding runners, but it will be understoo that for polishing other suitable runners are employed having the usual felts instead of the iron surfaces which are used in grinding.

The glass which is to be ground and polished is carried .upon trucks or tables 9 mounted upon the" tracks 10. As illustrated, the tables are moved along the tracks by means of the racks 11 secured to the lower sides of the trucks and engaged by the spur gears 12 driven from pinions 13 carried upon transverse shafts 14, which shafts are connected to suitable driving mm tors, not shown.

Secured to the longitudinally extending I beams is a bracket or sup ort in the form of, a casting 15 and upon t e upper end of this casting is pivoted a lever 16, such lever turning upon the shaft 17. This lever is provided with a pair of hook members 18 engaging the trunnions 19 secured to or units integral with a split collar 19. clam d around the gear casin at the upper on of the member 20 in whic the runner shaft 21 is journaled. A pair of bearings for the runner shaft are provided, the upper one being indicated at 22 in Fig. 4, and the other being located in thebox or enlargement 23 at the lower end of the member 20. The box 23 is also provided with a split collar 24 carrying the laterally projecting lugs or trunnions-25 engaged by the hook shaped. ends 26 on the arms 27. This provides for releasing the trunnions by swinging the arm upward about its pivot rod 28 when it is desired to remove the runner and its driving mechanism. from the machine. When the machine is in operation, the arm serves to securely hold the lower end of the support 20 in position, In order to hold the trunnions 19 in the members 18, suitable releasable caps or holders 18 are provided.

In case any replacement of the runner or motor or any of the associated parts in the unitis required, this may be accomplished without loss of time by removing the entireunit and substituting a spare one. In case the runner used is a polishing runner, this provides a convenient method permitting the cleaning of the caked rouge from .the felts with a minimum loss of time, such cleaning being required at intervals in all polishing apparatus, and being accomplished by means of suitable scrapers and washing devices.

One form of speed reducing mechanism for driving the runner shaft 21 from the motor 29 is illustrated in Fig. .4, such gearing being of the planetary type, but it will be understood that a wide variety of arrangements of reducing gearing may be employed. The pinion 30 on the shaft 31 of the motor drives a set of spur gears 32 carried by the disc 33, and these gears 32 engage an internal gear 34 secured to the' gear casing. The disc 33 is keyed to a sleeve 35 integral with the pinion 36, and this pinion 36 engages a plurality of spur gears 37 carried by the disc 38. such disc being integral with the upper end of the runner shaft 21. The gears 37 engage an internal gear 37* carried by the gear casing. The gear casing .is kept full of lubrieating oil'by means of suitable devices and a stuffing box 39 is provided below the bearing in-the box 23 for preventing too rapid escape of oil at this point.

Secured to the lower end of the runner shaft '21 is the runner 40 shown in section in Fig. 4. This runner ma be of any approved type, but preferably comprises a cast portion 41 carrying the planking 42 on its lower side to which are bolted the metal runner bars 43. The runner is secured to the shaft 21 by means of the block 44 having the toothed head 45 secured beneath the collar 46, such collar being held in place by means of the bolts 47. A plate 48 holds the block 44 against downward movement. The inner periphery of the collar 46 is provided with a set of internal gear teeth 46 (Fig. 5) intermeshing with the teeth on the head 45. The head 45 is slight- 1y convex along the line 49, and the collar 46 is positioned so that the block 44 may rock slightly. The foregoing arrangement provides a flexible connection between the runner shaft and the runner permitting the runner to accommodate itself to the surface of the glass upon which it operates. which reduces the tendency to impose a breaking strain upon the glass when the glass is not happens to be slightly out of true.

The surfacing unit is counterbalanced by means of the weight 51 and the spring 52, the latter encircling the rod 53 and hearing at its upper end against a block 54 carried by the framework. The block is preferably mounted to turn around a pivot or axis 55 to permit the spring and shaft to adjust themselves to varying angles incident to the swinging of the upper end of the rod 53 on an are about the pivot 17. The lower end of the rod is screw threaded and carries theadjusting nut and wheel 56 whereby the tension of the spring may be varied. The weight 51 is also mounted slidably upon the lever 16 so that it may be adjusted in and out. The spring 52 provides a resilient support for the runner tending to prevent breakage as is well known ir the art, and the adjustment is provided by the wheel 56 permitting the load to be gradually applied to the exact extend desired.

In apparatus of this character it sometimes becomes desirable to raise one runner or a series of runners entirely free of the glass in case breakage has occurred on one of the tables, or in case of interruption due to some other cause such as the cutting ofi of current to the motor, and in order to provide for this contingency, each lever arm 16 is provided with secondary operating means preferably in the form of the rod 57 secured at its lower end to a crank 58. Any desired number of the cranks are operated from a single shaft 59 extending longitudinally of the series of machines and connected to a suitable operating motor. The upper end of the rod 57 is provided with a head 60 adapted to engage the upper side of the lever 16 after the crank has been turned a short distance from the position illustrated. When the crank 58 is turned to a position 180 degrees from the positionillustrated, the outer 'end of the lever 16 is lowered so that the runner is lifted entirely free from the glass upon the table. When the crank is returned to the position illustrated, the table resumes its position upon the glass. and it will be noted that the operation of raising the runner from the table and returning it does not interfere in any way with the adjustment as provided by the wheel 56. so that in case of accident calling for the raising of a series of tables. they can, upon correction of the, difficulty, be all returned to exactly their former positions so'that no further adjusting is necessary and no overlapping is required at the pointsat which the operation terminated.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification in which a different arrangement of motor and reducing mechanism for driving the counill tershaft 21 is employed. In this case, the motor 61 is mounted upon the top of the gear casing 62 with its axle 6?) horizontal instead of vertical. This axle is provided with the pinion 64 which drives the spur gear 65 mounted upon the shaft 66. The shaft 66 carries a worm engaging the worm Wheel 67 which is keyed to the runner shaft 21. Here as in the other type of construction, the entire surfacing unit comprising the motor, the drive shaft, the runner and the associated parts are all supported removably upon the lever 16 and the construction is in other respects similar to that heretofore described. similar reference numerals being applied throughout. Various other motor and gearing arrangements might be employed in place of the two illustrated, the. invention contemplating broadly any and all arrangements in which a removable selfcontained surfacing unit is employed comprising the motor, the runner shaft, the runner and the supporting parts upon which the elements are mounted. and by means of which they are connected into an operative structure. This modification of Figs. 6 and 7 is shown, described, and claimed in my divi sional application, Serial No. 742,185, heretofore referred to, such application also including the broad claims to the subject matter common to both applications.

What I claim is 1. in combination in a surfacing machine, a framework, a vertical casing carrying at its upper end an annular gear casing, a pair of links pivoted to the framework and to the casings and serving to guide the casings vertically. means for counterbalancing one of the links, a drive spindle journaled in the mounted on the annular casing with its drive shaft in vertical position in alignment with said spindle, and planetary reducing gearing in said annular gear casing arranged to drive said spindle from the motor drive shaft.

3. In combination in a surfacing machine, a framework, a surfacing unit mounted for vertical movement with respect to the framework and con'iprising a support, a vertical runner shaft journaled therein, a runner secured to the lower end of the shaft, and a motor having driving connection with the upper end of the shaft, means for counterbalancing said unit comprising a lever and resilient means coacting with the lever and tending to lift the runner, manually operable adjusting means for such last means, and a-power operated device having a lost motion connection with the lever, and adapted in one position to lift the runner out of contact with the plate being surfaced, and in another position to release the lever and permit it to return to its first position. 4. In combination in a surfacing machine. a framework, a surfacing unit mounted for vertical movement "with respect to the framework and comprising a support, a vertical runner shaft journaled therein, a runner secured to the lower end of the shaft, and a motor having driving connection with the upper end of the shaft, means for counterbalancing said unit comprising a lever and means coacting "with the lever and tending to lift the runner, manually operable adjusting means for such last means, a device having a lost motion connection with the lever and adapted in one position to lift the runner out of contact with the plate being vertical casing and carrying a surfacing run-surfaced, and in another position to release ner at its loiver end, a motor mounted on the annular casing, with its drive shaft in vertical position in alignment with said spindle, and reducing gearing in said annular gear casing between the drive shaft of the motor and the upper end or said spindle.

2. co nbination in a surfacing machine. al ramen'orlr, a vertical casing carrying at its upper end an annular gear casing. a lever pivotally mounted on the framework and pivotally engaging the annular gear casing. counterhalancing means for the lever, a link pivoted to the trameu'orlr below the pivotal support at said lever and having pivotal engagement at its end with said vertical casing, a drive spindle journaled in the vertieal casing and carrying a surfacing runlOWEl end, an electric motor the lever and permit it to return to its first position, and a crank for moving saiddevico from one of said positions to the other.

5. In apparatus for surfacing plate glass, a series of surfacing machines provided with runners and adjustable (Ollfililibfilill'lfl'lfig devices tending to lift the runners, means I for adjusting said counterbalancing devices. means for each machine independent of said devices for lifting the runner entirely free from the glass and for returning it to position in contact with the glass. and a common means for operating all of said mcans'in unison.

in testimony whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1st day of May, 1928.

ALBERT E. EVANS. 

